In an exclusive interview with marvelbetgames.com, Russian lightweight fighter Alexandr Shabliy shared his thoughts on Usman Nurmagomedov’s victory over Paul Hughes in the main event of the PFL tournament in Dubai.
“We've underestimated Hughes, and he turned out to be a tough guy. Hughes was the underdog everywhere. This guy trains in the gym next to ATT, and everyone spoke highly of him. They said he was tough, but I didn’t see any specific tactics or style that would help him beat Usman. Everything turned out to be matched because Usman wasn’t in good physical condition,” Shabliy said.
He fought normally in the first and second rounds. When he ran out of stamina, he allowed Hughes to create distance where he could hit. He couldn’t take him down immediately and maintain control. That also showed his lack of good shape. In the rematch, we’ll see a completely different fight.
Alexandr Shabliy exclusively for Telecom Asia Sport
Recall that in the main event of PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series 1, Usman Nurmagomedov defeated Irishman Paul Hughes by majority decision. He boasts a record of 19 wins with no losses, and one fight ruled a no contest. Paul Hughes has a record of 13 victories and two defeats.
